About Us > Accreditation

Accreditation

Blackhawk Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region, which includes 19 states.

/Portals/0/adam/Hero/Sta_hXt6KU6QhDOpKTqhAw/Image/hero-image.png

Standard Pathway

The Standard Pathway is one of three options institutions have for maintaining accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission. It follows a 10-year cycle and, like all pathways, is focused on quality assurance and institutional improvement. These improvement topics are integrated into comprehensive evaluations conducted during the cycle, as well as through interim monitoring, as required.

Institutions submit an annual Institutional Update, which is reviewed by HLC to monitor organizational health, comply with certain federal requirements and identify any changes that may require HLC follow-up. HLC will also apply change processes as appropriate to planned institutional developments and will monitor institutions through reports, visits, and other means as it deems appropriate.

Institutions undergo a comprehensive evaluation to ensure they are meeting the Criteria for Accreditation, pursuing institutional improvement, and complying with certain requirements set by the U.S. Department of Education. A Year 4 evaluation may include a determination that interim monitoring is necessary.

The second comprehensive evaluation conducted in the Standard Pathway cycle follows the same process as the evaluation conducted in Year 4. The Year 10 evaluation leads to an action regarding the reaffirmation of the institution’s accreditation.

Program Accreditation

The HLC does not provide program accreditation. Blackhawk is pleased to maintain its standing with leading accrediting agencies in many of our programs.

Collegewide Accreditation:
Standard Pathway

Accrediting Agency:
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Last Accreditation or Approval Year:
Systems Portfolio: 2018-2019

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s):
Dr. Jon Tysse, Executive Director, IR&E, (608) 757-7754, jtysse@blackhawk.edu

Next Accreditation or Approval Year:
Systems Portfolio: 2028-2029; Reaffirmation of Accreditation: 2028-29

Accrediting Agency: American Culinary Federation

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2020

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Dean, Business and General Education; Lead Culinary Arts Instructor

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2027

Accrediting Agency: Commission on Dental Accreditation / American Dental Association

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2017

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Dean, Health Sciences and Public Safety; Lead Dental Assistant Instructor

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2024 Self-Study, 2025 Site Visit

Accrediting Agency: Commission on Dental Accreditation

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2022

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair PTA/Dental Lab programs, Program Director/Lead Faculty Dental Hygienist

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2024 Spring Site Visit

Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2018

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Program Chair, Allied Health

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2028 Self-Study

Accrediting Agency: Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE)

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2021

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair, Human Services, EMS & Fire, Human Services Faculty Lead

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2026

Accrediting Agency: Department of Justice

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2023

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair, Law Enforcement Programs

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2025

Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2023

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair, Allied Health, Medical Assistant Program Director/Lead Faculty

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2032

Accrediting Agency: National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2017

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair, PTA, Dental, Lab programs, Lead Medical Laboratory Technicial Instructor

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2027

Accrediting Agency: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2019

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair, Nursing Programs

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2027

Accrediting Agency: WI Department of Health Services

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2021

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair, Nursing Programs, Nursing Assistant Faculty

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2023

Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2021

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair PTA/Dental/Lab Programs Coordinator, Physical Therapy

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2031

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Blackhawk Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: capteonline.org. The program’s current status is probationary accreditation; for more information, see https://www.capteonline.org/about-capte/recent-actions-and-updates/recent-actions/public-disclosure-notices. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call Enid Halewyn at 608-757-7698 or email at ehalewyn@blackhawk.edu.

Accrediting Agency: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2019

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair, Allied Health

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: Interim report 2023, Self-Study 2027

Accrediting Agency: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

Last Accreditation or Approval Year: 2019

Person(s) Responsible or Contact Person(s): Administrative Chair Allied Health, Surgical Technology Program Director/Lead Faculty

Next Accreditation or Approval Year: 2026

Professional Licensure Notification

As required by federal statute, Blackhawk Technical College provides the following information for its occupational programs that are designed to lead to a license required for employment in the occupation.

In general, Blackhawk Technical College will not make a determination of licensure eligibility for states from which a small percentage of program students enroll.

License: Wisconsin EMT-Intermediate EMT (AEMT) Licensure

Working in Wisconsin: Prepares for WI State Licensure